


Oh, Grey Warden

by Dynamitecoco_puff



Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Alcoholism mention, Amnesia, Angst, Drabble, F/M, Loneliness, One Shot, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-18
Updated: 2015-06-18
Packaged: 2018-04-05 01:24:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4160331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dynamitecoco_puff/pseuds/Dynamitecoco_puff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peace has returned to Ferelden after the Grey Wardens slay the Archdemon. But with the peace and their survival, comes a price.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Oh, Grey Warden

The archdemon defeated, Fereldan in drags, but along with mourning came celebration and rebuilding. Anora wore the crown and rightfully became Queen in place of her dead father Loghain. She gave a wonderful speech, praising the Hero of Ferelden, and promised the city alienage from which she came, be in better care. 

The Warden became the Hero of Ferelden, and survived along with her companions. 

But with survival, came a price. 

The Hero sits in in her chair, her eyes tired but her smile remains on her face. Her back aches from her posture and she fights the urge to slump to a more comfortable position. Everyone wants to greet her - to shake her hand and give her gifts. She tries to keep up with it all, but all she wants is to rest. She couldn’t help but feel a slight emptiness, a pit in her chest. She knows she didn’t slay the archdemon alone, but she was thrown from her back and the events were hazy. She scans the crowd of faces, and realizes that her heart beat accelerates whenever they land on a select few who stand closer to her than the rest. The butterflies flutter their wings rapidly when her eyes meet one in particular.

His hair is a light shade, dipped in honey. It’s slicked back, but still structured in the front in sort of a slight messy boyish manner. His face is smooth save the stubble around his mouth, but his eyes are slightly puffy, lined with worry and the whites of them are tinged with a haze of red. 

He walks up to her and takes a knee to bow his head. He takes her hand in his.

“Do I...know you?” A genuine question, follows the cock of her head and the raise of a brow. She shakes it politely, but the butterflies flutter their wings with haste. 

His heart aches, he should be sitting next to her. They should be laughing, drinking wine and eating the finest of the food on the table. 

Hesitantly he opens his mouth, “I...no. I just wanted to say my thanks,” Alistair says, fighting back the breaking of his voice. Maker he wants to shake this madness from her. Before she can reply he quickly stands and turns, failing to keep back his tears and marches out of the hall, past his friends - his former allies. 

Leliana waits for him at the end. Once outside she throwing his arms around his neck before he takes another step.

“Please won’t you stay? We can find Morrigan, we can cure her.” 

Gently he pulls away from her, “No she-she’s gone. I can’t be with her anymore. I just need to leave this place.” 

He turns back, gives his final look to the Hero of Ferelden - the one who he fell in love with, made love beneath the stars with, slayed enemies with. They locked eyes for mere seconds, and he looked away to the ground. His tears made patterns of droplets on the outside dirt. 

“Where will you go?” Leliana puts a hand to his warm cheek, wiping away rogue tears. 

He looks around outside, staring into the nothingness of the sky. Alistair shrugs and reaches round his neck to unclasp a necklace. The necklace shines in the sunlight, blinding them with every swing on its chain. He peers down at his mother’s amulet, stroking the front of it with his thumb. He brings it to his lips in a kiss and puts it into Leliana’s hand. 

“If she ever remembers me, give this to her. Tell her that I... _Maker I_ -,” Leliana draws him into her arms as he breaks down again. She strokes his head and hums a soft tune. Alistair sobs with all of his body, shaking both him and Leliana with his wails. He lets the song carry him away, his thoughts floating twisting and turning with the melody. 

“I promise I will. And I promise her memory _will_ return Alistair,” she whispers in his ear, “go. Go wherever you need, but never forget the love she has for you. You need to believe Alistair. The Maker will show you the way.”

Their embrace ends, and he gives her a solemn nod. He takes her hand and squeezes it, “Thank you, Leliana,” He inhales and lets the crisp air fill him, and he exhales the last of his tears, “you should go back inside. The celebration can’t continue without its bard,” he tries to smile, but Leliana knows the sadness behind the crinkle of his eyes. 

She nods a farewell, and slips back inside. Alistair catches a hint of laughter and jubilation before the door muffles the sounds. 

“I love you, ma vhenan,” he says one last time tracing his fingers along the intricate designs of the door. Her elf ears were the first thing that caught his eyes when they met. She taught him words from her language and always called him ‘ma vhenan’ when they were alone. 

He gathers himself and takes another deep breath. He’s already lost when he turns around, he just lets his feet carry him in one direction. 

On his journey he only falls once, never receiving once receiving a letter. For awhile he takes to Kirkwall’s the Hanged Man, finding his answers at the bottom of bottles. 

His call to arms was by way of Raven. Maker knows how Leliana found him but along with it his hopes returned. 

_She received word from the Hero of Ferelden._

He could breathe once more. He had a reason to live again. 

He dons his Grey Warden armor once more, and fights alongside allies as he travels to Ferelden yet again. This...Inquisition. He will find the Inquisition and maybe her along with it.

Maybe. Just maybe he won’t be alone anymore.


End file.
